4 Mistakes to Avoid When Building Your New Home

Covering the groundwork that’s necessary to begin the process of building a home can be intimidating and challenging for someone who has no contracting or building experience. However, that doesn’t mean that first-time home builders should shy away from designing and developing their own custom property, as there are many benefits to taking this approach as opposed to purchasing a pre-built home.

On the other hand, there are also many additional risks and factors to consider, primarily including the cost of materials and labor and the steps involved in choosing the right people for the job. You could pay a building manager to take care of all the contracting and hiring for you but taking that approach will cost more and give you less control than if you were to manage the project independently.

To help you avoid a less-than-ideal outcome, here is quick overview of the top four mistakes that independent home builders make, so you can avoid them in your own upcoming project.

 

• Overlooking Necessary Insurance and Permits

 

If you are at the stage of researching the steps involved in building your home, chances are you’re already aware that you’re going to need a building permit. Even so, many first-time builders fail to fully consider the scope and cost of the various kinds of permits that are involved.

Overlooking this aspect of construction can lead to overshot budgets, financial disappointments, and delays in completing the project.

If you’re going to be playing the role of owner-builder and participating in some of the construction yourself, you’ll need to take the steps to become a licensed contractor and obtain the necessary insurance for your business.

Conversely, if you are going to be outsourcing all of the work, then the contractors you hire should have the licensing and insurance aspects taken care of, but it may also be wise to obtain your own insurance plan to provide overarching coverage just in case.

 

• Selecting the Wrong Lot

 

Lot selection is a key area of focus that sometimes goes overlooked because people are overzealous about getting down to construction. You may want to broaden your locational horizons and look in other regions aside from your immediate area or the one you originally had in mind. There is a huge world out there waiting to be discovered, so extending your property search to other states might be an extra step worth taking.

Taking the initiative to look beyond preconceived boundaries might even help you stumble upon a dream property at a surprisingly appealing price. Hiring a real estate agent to help in your search may be a good idea if you don’t have the time or skills needed to conduct an in-depth search yourself.

3. Choosing the Wrong Bids

Even if you decide to do some of the building yourself, you’re probably going to need to hire an electrician and plumber at a bare minimum. Hiring contractors for the first time can be scary because you don’t want to make the mistake of choosing an overpriced or unprofessional worker. Effectively comparing bids can take a little research and practice, but once you know what to look for, it becomes one of the easiest parts of the project.

Still, you don’t want to be regretting your selections later on after you’ve discovered that you were overcharged or the person you chose didn’t do a good job. Thus, it is best to take your time and consider a variety of bids before moving forward.

 

• Acting As an Owner-Builder

 

A common mistake that first-time builders make is making the choice to act as an owner-builder. Even if you have experience with home improvement and renovation projects, tackling an entire home construction can be whole new ball game.

If this is truly the route you’re committed to taking, it’s imperative that you set aside the time to research everything beforehand. You may also want to purchase extra materials and invest in training courses to gain some useful practice before you start building your home.

 

• Not Devising a Feasible Floorplan

 

Although the mistakes listed above are definitely the main problems you’ll want to avoid, having an undesirable floorplan is another common mistake that home builders later come to regret. This mistake winds up being more of a long-term annoyance, but it can really bother you down the road when you realize that you would have rather had the layout done in a completely different manner.

The best way to avoid this kind of regret is to spend plenty of time devising and revising your floorplan during the pre-construction phase. You should also try using floorplan design software and maybe seek the assistance of a professional home designer to ensure you’re comparing a wide variety of options and styles before making your decision.

Avoiding the four mistakes listed above should make for a smoother ride when it comes to building your dream home.